


Twas the Night Before Christmas

by vix_spes



Series: Ties of the Heart 'verse [8]
Category: Whitechapel (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Family, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 23:13:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5516780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joseph Chandler has his first family Christmas in years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twas the Night Before Christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [slightlytookish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/slightlytookish/gifts).



In a move that impressed even him, Chandler managed to make it all the way down the path to Miles' front door before he had a crisis of confidence just as he was about to press the doorbell. It didn't matter that he had been invited by both Miles and Judy, or that the children had been enthusiastic at the prospect of his presence, he couldn't help but feel as though he was intruding. After all, it was Christmas and Christmas was supposed to be for family. It didn't matter that he had come to consider the Miles' to be family, they weren't his family, not really.

He had tried explaining all of this to Miles over a week ago, when Miles had first invited him, only for Miles – in typical fashion – to tell him to stop talking cobblers and just say yes. Chandler had done precisely that but he still hadn't been able to shake the feeling that Miles had invited him out of pity once he had found out that the only thing that Chandler had planned for Christmas was lunch at the club with Commander Anderson. Not that he had mentioned this to Miles at all.

Shifting the bags he was carrying slightly, trying desperately not to drop the bag of presents, he gathered all of his courage and pressed the doorbell. After all, spending Christmas with the Miles' had got to be better than spending time with the Commander.

It was mere seconds before he heard a stampede towards the door and a chorus of excited voices pronouncing that “Uncle Joe's here!” Liam and Edward's obvious delight in his arrival, not to mention the welcoming smile on Miles' face went a long way to putting Chandler a bit more at ease. As he was ushered inside, both boys almost tripped him up as they crowded around him, trying to sneak peeks into the bag of presents. They weren't successful; all it got them was a gentle clip around the ear from Miles and an admonishment that they had best behave if they wanted Father Christmas to make an appearance. Chandler had to chuckle at how quickly they stepped away from his legs at that.

“Amazing what the threat of no Father Christmas will do, isn't it? Even at their age.”

Chandler turned to see Judy had materialised from somewhere to stand next to him, Elizabeth cradled in her arms. “They've been watching out for you all afternoon. I've lost count of the number of times they've checked you were definitely coming.”

“Sorry Judy, I would have been here sooner if I'd known.”

“You're here now, that's what matters. Now, if you could take Madam off my hands, I'll get some drinks sorted.”

Chandler managed to take Elizabeth, juggling the bags somewhat awkwardly so that he didn't drop either the presents or the baby. “Umm, what should I do with these?”

He watched as Judy peered into the bag, taking in the presents that he had stressed over buying and then spent hours painstakingly wrapping with a small smile.

“You really didn't have to Joe, but thank you. Get the boys to put them under the tree; it'll keep them occupied for all of ten minutes.”

(~*~)

Several hours later, Chandler was convinced that if he ate another bite then he would explode. He definitely shouldn't have eaten those mince pies but it took a strong man indeed to say no to Judy's baking. The boys had been running around, completely hyped up for the whole evening and, when Chandler had commented on it to Miles, he had been warned that they would inevitably be like this until dinner time on Boxing Day and that Chandler should probably prepare himself for a 4am wake-up call the following morning.

Already it was completely different to the Christmas' that Chandler had experienced as a child. Everything was so warm and welcoming, from Ray and Judy to the house itself with its battered but clearly well-loved decorations. It was on the complete opposite end of the spectrum to how he had been planning on spending Christmas, to how he had spent Christmas as a child, but Chandler was still incredibly glad that he had come.

“I didn't think you were going to come, you know.”

Chandler looked to where Miles sat next to him on the couch, “I nearly didn't. Christmas is for family and I didn't want to intrude. I didn't want you to invite me because you felt sorry for me.”

“When are you going to get it into that thick skull of yours Joe? You're not intruding. You may not be blood but you're still family.”

Anything else Miles might have been about to say as Judy reappeared with the kids, all of them bathed and ready for bed in new festive-themed pyjamas. Chandler found himself wedged into the corner as Judy placed Elizabeth on his lap and took the seat on the other side of Miles, Liam and Edward handing their dad a book before wedging themselves on either side of him. Chandler looked at Judy in confusion as Miles opened the book, none the wiser as she mouthed the words “Family tradition” at him. And then Miles started reading and Chandler could feel warmth spreading through him as he recognised the familiar words that his dad had once read to him.

“Twas the night before Christmas...”

**Author's Note:**

> If you would prefer to comment on LJ, you can do so [here](http://vix-spes.livejournal.com/227199.html)


End file.
